Springboard to success … Culcairn teenager Iilysh Retallick was runner-up in Monday night’s Australian Idol grand finale with Marshall Hamburger crowned the winner and Gisella Colletti in third place. Photo: Channel 7.
I have to confess, I’m an Australian Idol tragic.
Each year the reality television singing series cranks up again and that’s Sunday and Monday evenings out for social interaction as my two young daughters and I sit glued to the couch, commentary and criticism at the ready.
(Actually, if I’m being honest, it’s the same story with Chanel 9’s The Voice, so I guess you could say I’m more a singing show tragic; it could have something to do with my much-loved music teacher mum’s influence).
I have watched the rise and rise of Guy Sebastian (inaugural 2003 Idol winner and perennial favourite) over more than two decades and tuned back in to the show with enthusiasm in 2023 after its 14-year break.
But there’s another long-standing story within the story of Idol’s list of winners – the staggering success of so many of its runners-up.
On Monday night (7 April), it’s fair to say a greater part of the Greater Hume and wider Riverina communities shared a collective sigh of disappointment as popular performer Marshall Hamburger took the 2025 Australian Idol crown leaving our own Iilysh Retallick in second place ahead of Gisella Colletti.
Not that we didn’t love the ‘Burger Boy’ and his groovy muso parents.
Indeed it seemed as though this year’s show, at times, strayed into the realm of a cooking program as viewers were treated to updates on the food-themed “merch” being created in honour of the finals favourites, which began with the Culcairn butcher’s Iilysh sweet chilli and mango sausages, selling out at the rate of about 52 kg a day.
And, it seemed, Idol fans got the meat-themed memo and began posting burger-based pics to Instagram, including a $13.95 Marshall Hamburger whopper! I won’t even start again on the ‘Cold Can’ phenomenon caused by judge Kyle Sandiland’s mispronunciation of Iilysh’s beloved hometown of Culcairn.
But I digress.
The thing is, if you take a bit of a look at the ‘where are they now?’ side of these shows, it becomes apparent that coming second isn’t such a bad thing.
Culcairn or Condobolin – anyone see the similarities here? It appears that country towns are a pretty great springboard for Australian Idol runners-up, including farmhand Shannon Noll who has enjoyed a star-sudded 20-year singing career. Photo: Shannon Noll official website.
Take country born and bred Shannon Noll (we’ll claim him as one of our own) who would go on to make the small town of Condobolin famous after coming second to Guy in that first record-breaking show. Anyone seeing the similarities here?
Now while I’m not necessarily a big “Nollsie” fan, there’s no denying the 49-year-old singer-songwriter has enjoyed a winning career.
A quick trawl through the stats will tell you he’s had seven ARIA top 10 albums, including two number one multi-platinum sellers, he’s the only Australian male artist in national ARIA chart history to have achieved 10 consecutive top 10 singles and his landmark single What About Me was the highest selling single in Australia in 2004.
Twenty years on from his runner-up result, Nollsie is still powering on as he continues to release new music, host his popular new podcast Idol Talking With Nollsie, headline major festivals and perform to huge crowds across Australia.
Not a bad result in anyone’s books.
From season two runner-up Anthony Callea (whose debut cover of The Prayer, became the fastest-selling single by an Australian artist and held the number one spot on ARIA Singles Chart for five weeks) to Australia’s favourite daughter and multiple ARIA-award winning Jessica Mauboy (season four runner-up), history shows us that coming second on Australian Idol can be as much a springboard to success as taking the title.
During Monday night’s drawn out proceedings as the three finalists reprised their first round audition songs, judge Kyle Sandilands threw in a shock announcement after Amy Shark told Iilysh that no matter what happened, “Get a band and get on the damn road!”
Kyle told the 17-year-old Billabong High School student he could play her on the radio tomorrow.
“And you know what, if you don’t win I’ll buy you the van to go touring in,” Kyle stated.
A visibly delighted Iilysh told Kyle she’d hold him to that offer.
And all this avid fan can say is:
Take that van and keep your rock dreams rolling Iilysh … ’cause two out of three ain’t bad.
Original Article published by Jodie O’Sullivan on Region Riverina.
